Boishoi Ballet: Swan Lake

I am a massive fan of Boishoi after seeing their productions on TV and being able to see their Copelia last year at the Royal Opera House my expectations of one of the best loved ballets and one of the best ballet companies in the world were high.

I wished, hoped to be transported; the music and the dancing all coming together in seamless joy! However this did not happen. Don’t get me wrong the Boishoi dance seamlessly (besides a few exceptions) and the technique is unparalleled. It is a beautiful thing to witness the precision of 20 to 30 dancers moving as one but the duff note was, I’m afraid to say main couple. Olga Smirnova (who was our big star that night) is great and effortless performs the emotions of the Odette with the technique of Odile (her 32 fouettés en tournant were performed so casually you could have missed them!) but I’m sorry to say Artemy Belyakov gives a wooden perform. He is fine as a dancer but his part demanded some characterisation and he didn’t do anything except be a prop for Odette. His performance especially jarred because the supporting cast were so good with excellent performances from the evil wizard, the fool and the princesses. I was also unhappy with the ending (is it so wrong to want a leap to her death? They taunted us with a rock at the back of the set for the whole ballet!) and the whole thing just sort of petered out at the most dramatic moment in the music. If I didn’t know the ballet or score I would have been surprised to discover it was over. The set was dull but the costumes, while old fashioned seemed to sparkle.

I really wanted to love this and I’m very sad that I did not. Jane Eyre is looking good in comparison and I really want to go and see Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake again. Maybe I am just spoilt for good dance productions in London but this is the Boishoi and what should have been a highlight of the year has turned out to be a forgettable experience.

Jane Eyre by The Shanghai ballet Company at The Coliseum

This is only available for 4 more performances so if you get a chance go grab a seat for this interesting and sensual take on the well-known classic.

A bold choice has been made to place Bertha front and centre in this production contrasting the passionate and physical relationship she shares with Rochester and the innocent, graceful one he shares with Jane. Because of this focus on Bertha the story starts with Jane arriving at Thornfield Hall and quickly dashes through the rest of the story.

The first half is beautiful paced and I fell instantly in love with the costumes (especially in the ball scene) Fan Xiaofeng as Bertha is a wonder, sensual and controlled she frames and haunts the scenes between Jane and Rochester (along with, what appears to be the wet Japanese girl from the Ring which is never explained apparently this is Helen Burns the childhood friend who dies). Jane is dressed in a pinafore like a school girl at the beginning but her costumes mature throughout the production.

The second half seemed less polished. Some of this was because of the music, by choosing recognisable pieces such as Clair de Lune and Adagio air on the G string it was a little jarring and felt more like these were rehearsal music choses rather than suiting the mood and attitude that the action suggested however the act is saved by the excellent Rivers scenes which are amazing and especially St John Rivers who, I always liked in the books, but is excellent in this production and I overheard some ladies discussing how they were totally rethinking his character.

The Finale is a little… odd. I’m not sure that they were trying to achieve with it. Over all it is an excellent and interesting production which blends contemporary ballet moves with beautiful Victorian costumes. Personally I would look into getting an original score for this but otherwise an enjoyable evening and excellent performances. I would see it again and will look out for this company touring again.

Playboy of the Western World

This was... interesting. Set in a small village in Ireland. A young man stumbles into a pub and tells a fantastic tale. He wins the girl and the village only for the tale to prove false and for it all to collapse around him.
Robert Sheehan proves that he is more then his character in Misfits and transforms into the slightly weedy Christy Mahon who hold the play together with his ability to spin a yarn. Ruth Negga and Niamh Cusack are ok as the two women fighting over Christy although I have to agree with the lady sat next to me "I can't understand what the women are saying.".

The set was great and the costumes where fine. I would also say that the musical interludes are beautiful and the best bit of the play. I'm too sure why this was controversial but it was quite amusing and fun. Not as good as Othello though.

Othello at the Crucible

I was lucky enough to see this amazing production of Othello at The Crucible theatre in Sheffield. Starring Clarke Peters and Dominic West (both from the Wire) this period adaptation truly sparkles.

Othello has always been a favorite of mine because Iago is such a wonderful rich and twisted character. Dominic West plays him well and with a Yorkshire accent but the true stars of this production were Clarke Peters and Lilly James who as Othello and Desdemona making this production unique in its ability to make Desdemona likable.

Lilly James is amazing as Desdemona injecting a naivety and youthful exuberance which made Desdemona interesting and her death genuinely heart breaking. Clarke Peters pays Othello with a Nigerian accent which sits beautifully with Shakespeare's words.

The costume and set are amazing and look authentic and even better I got to see this for a £1 as the Crucible allow an audience in to see the Dress Rehearsal. This is an amazing offer and worth the wait at the box office to see it.

Go and see this it is genuinely the best production I have ever seen.

Carmen

I have a couple of extra photo's to add from my last post and then I'll move on to my trip to the Coliseum theatre. 

Jane Eyre: Jane and Mr Rochester sit here after her return.

Jane Eyre: Jane and Mr Rochester see a dragonfly here.

 Jane Eyre: Jane sits by this barn when she returns and finds Thornfield in ruins.

I return to London and had to go straight back out as I had tickets for Roland Petit's Carmen at the Coliseum theatre. The Coliseum is wonderfully decorated in a slightly garish but in keeping with the theme, Roman style decor. It is also one of the few theatre that has decently spaced  boxes however I still managed to sit behind a really tall person.
I didn't realise that I would be seeing three different performances. L'Arlesienne was very sweet, using a Van Gogh picture as a backdrop. The story is based on a French play and uses Bizet music, A boy discovers on his wedding day that his fiance was unfaithful and slowly goes mad. It is beautifully choreographed and so beautifully danced by the whole company. The costumes where fantastic too.

We then had a 35 minute interval and then I think the best piece of the night which was Le Jeune Homme et la Mort which was set to the music of Bach and was beautifully performed by Yonah Acosta (is from Cuda and has the same surname so I think he is related to Carlos) and opens with a great homage to Henry Wallis's famous painting. This piece had a story written by Jean Cocteau so was very French expressionistic but was beautiful and so well acted. I will definitely be watching Yonah.

Another 35 minutes later and finally we had Carmen. Beautifully recreating the Havana of South America they used the always excellent score of Bizet's opera of the same name it was beautifully danced and the main couple had great partner pieces.

It was a good night (although the 35 minute intervals made this a tad longer then it should have been). I always like the coliseum and they have an interesting programme this year.

Facilities: With 35 minutes to work with, queues at the toilet aren't really an issue. They were however clean and there were plenty. They also had jugs of free water at the bar so you can help yourself instead of flagging down the wait staff.

Eyring at Haddon

Today we went to Haddon Hall which is  one of my favorite places in the England. It is going to become famous soon for its starring role in the Jane Eyre film coming out in September (already out in US) starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. However this is not the first time the Hall has been used in film and television starring in the recent BBC Jane Eyre adaptation, Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightley and Matthew McFadden and The Princess Bride!

The reason people use this place for filming is because it is a beautiful, well preserved piece of Tudor/Stuart history nestled in the hills of the Derbyshire Peak district. It is straight out of Gothic novels (think Northanger Abbey) and romantic fantasy. I love the intimate, slightly rough around the edges feel of the place. The house was lived in from 1150 until 1703 when the family were given a Dukedom and moved to Belvoir castle and the place was abandoned for 200 years until at the beginning of the 20th Century the family moved back and did some remedial work. It has a beautiful terrace gardens and obviously fantastic views. I personally feel the slightly overgrown, holistic garden is the best in the country because of its wildness but they are getting someone in to replant it over the winter (Haddon Hall closes over the winter) so I'm glad I saw it before it went. They also have amazing roses.

For me Haddon is like Broadsworth Hall and Wightwick Manor - built in a specific time period they have not been changed and encapsulate that time. I love places that have just enough to look around but that you still have time to sit and read or relax in the sunshine before heading home.

Facilities: The restaurant was ok. Home cooked food but not a massive selection. Toilets were great. Again they had a theme of horses but were very modern and clean. I would also advise anyone with walk difficulties to beware as the Hall is not access friendly and has lots of stairs and steep slopes.

I am going to add a photo tour of the Hall because I am a massive fan of the Jane Eyre (2006) and P&P with McFadden and Knightley. So if you want to know where things are shot here is your guide:

• Princess Bride: This is the courtyard where Princess Buttercup is presented to everyone (Haddon Hall is also used as the castle in the background in this film).

Jane Eyre: Jane and Rochester kiss here after the proposal.

Jane Eyre: This is were Jane overhears the servants discussing Grace Poole (I should have warned you it was going to be pedantic).















 P&P: This the 'Inn at Lambton' - Darcy speak to  the Gardiners here while Lizzy hides.

Jane Eyre: Jane is presented to Rochester for the first time here.

 P&P: Lizzy hides behind a curtain in this doorway (right)

Jane Eyre: Jane comes down these stairs on her wedding day.

P&P: This room was apparently used as Lizzy and Jane's bedroom at Longbourn (although I don't know if you can tell).

Jane Eyre: This was Mr Rochesters study and where Jane and he meet for their discussion.

Jane Eyre: This is where Jane says goodbye to Mr Rochester before going to Gateshead.

Jane Eyre: This is the kitchen and where Jane and Mrs Fairfax sit when Jane arrives at Thornfield.

 Jane Eyre: This where Jane and Mrs Fairfax eat with Adele.

Jane Eyre: This is Jane's Bedroom (it is currently Haddon's 'viewing room' hence the chairs).

 Jane Eyre: Jane's bedroom again.

 Jane Eyre: Jane escapes this way after walking with Rochester after the Mason event.

 Jane Eyre: The party pass past Rochesters window when he broodes over Jane.

 P&P: On the other side of this partition Lizzy reveals all about Lydia to Darcy and the Gardiners.

Jane Eyre: This is the drawing room where the party socialise each day.

I will add more tomorrow.

A visit to Chatsworth

From now on I'm going to add entries whenever I go out and  do something. This week I'm staying with my Father, Charles and today we went to Chatsworth.

Chatsworth is the estate of the Duke of Devonshire and is considered to be one of the most beautiful houses in UK (if not Europe). Famous for its Louis XIV style gardens and Baroque style house. Chatsworth the house is almost as famous as its owners (Georgiana being one of them and the other being a Mitford sister). Unusually it is one of the few places that lets you take photographs inside (it is very dark in some rooms though so not suitable for camera phones). The Cavendishes have always been good at moving with the times and they show this in displaying modern art along side their Gainsboroughs and Van Dycks. Most people will recognise Chatsworth from the recent film "Pride and Prejudice" starring Kiera Knightley (only the Painted Hall and the Sculpture Gallery and exterior but still conveys the scope of the place - no bust of Matthew McFadden either).  Beautiful and unique I would compare this to Waddesdon Manor for vision and execution. They also had a special exhibition on the 6th Duke who did alot to the house and was the only Cavendish to actually recieve Royalty! Visit his facebook page to learn more.

I also picked up a fantastic book in the gift shop that is amazing if you are an Austinite! Jane Austen: Tv & film location guide covers the locations of all the adaptations of Jane Austen (even the Laurence Olivier/ Greer Garson one!).

Facilities: Lots of toilets and they had beautifully decorated each one in a a slightly Edwardian way which was fantastic and so detailed ( Beautiful tile friezes of a hunt, each tile unique, in the Stable toilets). Loved it! Lots of restaurants too.